1. ¹Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, New orleans, LA 70118, USA. E-mail: ychen@tulane.edu
2. ²College of Bioengineering, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China

Correspondence: Yi Ping CHEN, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA70118, USA Tel: 504-865-5587; Fax: 504-865-6785 E-mail: ychen@tulane.edu

Abstract

Vertebrate Msx genes are unlinked, homeobox-containing genes that bear homology to the Drosophila muscle segment homeobox gene. These genes are expressed at multiple sites of tissue-tissue interactions during vertebrate embryonic development. Inductive interactions mediated by the Msx genes are essential for normal craniofacial, limb and ectodermal organ morphogenesis, and are also essential to survival in mice, as manifested by the phenotypic abnormalities shown in knockout mice and in humans. This review summarizes studies on the expression, regulation, and functional analysis of Msx genes that bear relevance to craniofacial development in humans and mice.